Former MLB pitcher and present Atlanta Braves announcer CJ Nitkowski discovered himself in one other viral controversy this week after awkward feedback he made through the workforce’s Thursday recreation in opposition to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Braves proper fielder Eli White just lately returned to the beginning lineup after being positioned on the paternity listing, and, whereas expressing his pleasure for White’s new child, Nitkowski used phrasing that raised the eyebrows of some viewers.
“Congratulations to Eli on (baby) No. 3,” Nitkowski mentioned. “I used to be making an attempt to speak him into extra children already after we have been in San Diego. Him and his spouse they’re simply such nice folks.
“I mentioned, ‘We want extra nice folks on this world. Some extra Whites, the higher off we’re going to be.’”
Whereas Nitkowski was referring to White’s household identify, that didn’t cease the web from choosing up on the unlucky phrasing the Braves analyst used. The video went viral on the r/baseball Reddit web page partly because of the announcer’s previous on social media, as many customers criticized Nitkowski.
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Again in 2018, Nitkowski was concerned in Twitter drama when customers noticed that he was following an account run by the “Proud Boys,” a far-right group that has been linked to white supremacy actions in america; the previous pitcher additionally favored a publish from the account.
Throughout the 2018 controversy, Nitkowski, who was working for the Texas Rangers broadcast crew, denied realizing that the Proud Boys have been a hate group, in response to Terrible Saying.
“I’ve by no means seen something from that account that steered they have been a hate group,” Nitkowski mentioned in 2018. “If I did, I wouldn’t comply with them or any account. If a gaggle needs to label a Twitter account a hate group, they will actually do this, however their opinion means nothing to me.
“I feel for myself. The concept that anybody would get upset over a tweet favored by somebody they don’t know is now essentially the most ludicrous factor Twitter has to supply us.”
The Proud Boys have been within the information lots throughout Donald Trump’s two phrases as president. Members linked to the group have been prosecuted and sentenced to jail for his or her involvement within the Jan. 6 capitol riots in 2021, though Trump issued a lot of them a pardon when he returned to the White Home in 2025.
After the backlash to his Twitter exercise in 2018, Nitkowski later unfollowed the Proud Boys and referred to as it a mistake. He additionally took a break from utilizing the social media platform.
It’s unlikely that might be obligatory this time round, however it’s one other reminder to watch out about what, and in some circumstances how, you say one thing on stay TV.
